Survivor-Led Solutions has opened its first brick-and-mortar advocacy center in Pensacola, offering a dedicated space for survivors of trafficking, sexual exploitation and domestic violence.
The new center will also house what the organization describes as the first survivor leader certification program in the country, designed to help survivors build the skills needed to partner with law enforcement and other agencies in supporting others.
The organization’s founder, Alicia Tappan, is a survivor herself. “I’m a survivor at 17 years old, put my trafficker in prison, and have been trying to figure out how to do life ever since,” Tappan said. “Within the last 10 years, the movement really picked up. We saw a lot of search and rescue, but we didn’t really see a lot of long-term care. I still needed help. I still needed services. So that’s what we did is fill a gap and try to provide leadership and empowerment to those who are trying to give back through using their stories.”
Board members said Tappan has become a national voice on trauma-informed care, recognized with multiple state and national awards. Programs run by the organization now reach jails and communities in other states beyond Florida.